Political Unrest

I recently returned from a buying trip to Bangkok with a new appreciation for America. Not just America, but the whole system of democracy.

Thailand is one of the primary suppliers of wholesale silver jewelry to world markets. It is a huge producer of sterling silver, with thousands of people in the country earning their living producing what the world wants.

Throughout recent history, Thailand has had a tumultuous political environment. The past few years have seen the Prime Minister and Parliament ousted, a military coup, a new government installed, and seemingly endless political protest that has resulted in the closure of Thailand's main airport and currently the shutting down of Bangkok as a destination for tourism and business in general.

Without going into the specifics, I will just say that the recent battles in the US over "partisan politics" pale in comparison to what has been going on in Thailand. There doesn't appear to be any end in sight, and the ultimate losers are the people who are suffering from the lack of income and jobs caused by this disruption.

Whether we are in retail, wholesale, jewelry, clothing, the stock market, the insurance business or some other line of work, be grateful that our form of government is stable. Riots in the streets and political unrest make our arguments over health care and Wall Street reform seem like minor blips on the radar..